Salcombe Yacht Club Autumn Series - Race 7

Saturday saw the 7th Race of the Salcombe Yacht Club Autumn series. The first challenge for competitors was in getting to the start line, beating out through the narrow channel from Batson into 30 knots of southerly breeze, saw several competitors high and dry on the mud, however most managed to compose themselves to arrive at the start line in time.

Race Officer John Wylie set the classic course of Blackstone Gerston Blackstone Crossways, and by the time of the starts the wind had eased to 15 to 20 knots, with a solid beat against the spring flood tide to Blackstone.

With the Juniors on a postponement, first away was the Medium Handicap Fleet, with Charlie Blazeby's Laser Radial leading Esther McLarty home from the RS Feva of George Alexander and Isla McColl.

The eyes of the Solo fleet sailors were on the Fast Handicap Fleet start to get an idea of the preferred side of the beat to go, the RS400 of Peter Colclough and Steve Carter prevailed over Tristram and Laura Squire following the retirement of regular frontrunners Peter Cook and Janet Exelby.

Sixteen Solos came to the start line, with the majority choosing to start at the Town end of the start line. Robin Hodges and David Greening led off the line, with Greening picking out a handy lead by Blackstone, which was held to the Gerston mark. Greening made a tactical error after rounding the mark, which allowed Simon Dobson and Simon Yates to sail over him, together with most of the pursuing fleet.

A rainstorm of biblical proportions knocked any weight out of the breeze, which made progress against all of the points very challenging in the flood tide, however Dobson and Yates maintained formation with Julian Meek picking up third place.

Five Salcombe Yawls, somewhat un-seasonally arrived at the start line, with Geoff Gilson and Chris Spencer-Chapman building up a useful lead, by picking the ladders and avoiding the snakes, ahead of David Jayne and Dan Bridger, whist the Classic Yawls struggled to make the tidal gate that was Snapes Point.

Full marks should go to Cadets; Evie Booth, Ben Meek and James Alexander in their RS Tera's for their efforts against the tide especially at Halwell Point against the flood tide, whilst being overwhelmed by the adult classes feeding in from behind them.

Cadet Handicap:

1st RS Tera Pro, 2146, Evie Booth
2nd RS Tera Sport, 1881, Ben Meek
3rd RS Tera Sport, 881, James Alexander

Medium Handicap:

1st Laser Radial, 203307, Charlie Blazeby
2nd Laser Radial, 181676, Esther McLarty
3rd RS Feva, XL4165, George Alexander and Ruari McColl

Fast Handicap:

1st RS400, 1329, Peter Colclough and Steve Carter
2nd Merlin Rocket, 3621, Tristram and Laura Squire

Solo:

1st 5676, Simon Dobson
2nd 5601, Simon Yates
3rd 5317, Julian Meek

Salcombe Yawl:

1st 170, Geoff Gilson and Chris Spencer Chapman
2nd 159, David Jayne and Dan Bridger
3rd 97, Andrew Wood and Tim Petitt